EDITORIAL: Freedom yes, but not of choice

LOUIS PIERARD
It is news of the very best kind and the relief must be enormous for friends and family of the released Kiwi TV cameraman Olaf Wiig and his Fox News colleague American Steve Centanni.
Few journalists choose to be news-makers, but TV reporter Anita McNaught's two-week vigil for her captured husband, Wiig, showed extraordinary resolve and bravery.
The two men were released by the "Holy Jihad Brigades", despite the ultimatum on their capture for the release of all Muslim prisoners held in United States within 72 hours or "face the consequences". Diplomatic negotiations and public pleas continued round the clock and the release late last night (NZ Time) accompanied a video of the captives declaring that they had converted to Islam.
The full reason for the formerly unknown jihadist group yielding up the two men (it has even been suggested a secret ransom was paid by Fox News) may never emerge, but important issues remain.
Then territory in which the news team works could hardly be more hazardous. If a jihadist group can pop up from nowhere without the knowledge of the Palestinian Government, it can happen again. And Islamist fundamentalism at its most extreme gives no cause for hope if a westerner falls into their clutches: Remember Daniel Pearl, Ken Bigley and Margaret Hassan, all of whom were casually slain in Iraq by their fanatical captors.
If you can't count on friends, who can you count on? It was pointed out by colleagues of the Fox crew that their capture was an "own goal" by the Palestinians because the newsmen were there to tell their side of the story. But having established an alliance with the Palestinian cause (which some might consider an unabashed admission they are propagandists) those journalists can never again be confident that they are safe. Perhaps it was the jihadists being reminded Fox was batting for their side that carried the day for the two men.
In the end, what did that Muslim cell have to gain from the capture? And what lessons did the event bring?
The brief exposure, while delivering much-needed authority to the Palestinian Government (which seems to have overseen the release) made a monkey of the captors. Not only was their absurd demand not met but no public concession was made other than the captives' forced conversion. And there is doubt about the sincerity of that public embrace of Islam.
What would have happened if they had refused to convert? On her release from an Indonesian jail last year Australian underwear model Michelle Leslie cast off the burqa (along with just about every other garment) she had strategically worn for her court appearance. To accusations of hypocrisy she said taking the veil had saved her from being raped.
Wiig's brother Sven said Olaf's conversion was "showing support for the Palestinian people ... I think this is actually part of the negotiations for their release".
However, it is unlikely many Palestinians would approve of insincerity on matters of faith. And that will matter should another jihadist gang pull a similar stunt.
While contempt, rather than support, is more appropriate for anyone who tries to convert another at gunpoint, evidence the men might not be genuine in their new-found belief will further confirm that the word of an infidel cannot be trusted.